Current motor



. (No Model.) I' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. o. NEAL. CURRENT MOTOR.

Patented Aug. 8, 1893.

opposite side frames,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEMUEL C. NEAL, OF LEWISTOSN, IDAHO.

CURRENT-MOTOR.

SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 502,931, dated August8, 1893. Application ined Jaimy 21, i893. seriale; 459.213. (Nomerie.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern: i s

Be it known that LLEMUEL C. NEAL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lewiston, in the county of Nez Perces and State of Idaho,have invented a new and useful Current-,Motor, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to current motors; and it has for its object toprovide certain improvements in that class of current motors such as setforth in my former Patent No. 471,564.

To this end the main and primary object of the invention is toprovide animproved construction of motor frame, and the necessary appurtenancestherefor, which shall secure efficient means for fully utilizing therunning current of a stream, and thereby obtain the greatest amount ofpower therefrom.

With these and other objects in view which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in thenovel construction, combination and ar# rangement of parts hereinaftermore f ully'described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawingsz-Figure l is a top plan view of a currentmotor constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal central longitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig.v 3 is adetail sectional view of one of the movable end journals. Fig. 4 is aview of one side of the motor.v Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective of theattachment of one of the paddles to :the endless chains. Fig. 6 is adetail 'sectional view on the line :1c-* of Fig. 1.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A represents a horizontal YVshaped frame comprising the opposite side'frames'B,;suitably connected.The opposite side'framesB,

comprise the upper and lower parallel connected frame pieces b, whichare connected at one end to the pointed bow piece C, which forms theapex or bow of the V-shaped frame, and from whichA diverge the oppositeside frames B, each of which receives a portion of the current, which isdivided by the bow C. The upper'and lower frames pieces b, of the areconnected by the upper and lower series of crossbraces D, which securelybrace the entire frame and are provided with the projecting ends d,extended beyond the outer sides of the diverging i framesAB, and haveconnected to the extremities ofV such ends, the parallel side guardrails E, which serve to keep drift and ioating matter off from theframes B, over which travel the paddle wheels to be described. Leadingfrom the front ends of the side guard rails E,

Iare the opposite diverging front guard rails F, which rails have theirfront ends connected to opposite sides of the bow piece C, so that thedrift and other material which strikes the bow is deflected by the frontguard rails onto the side guard rails, so as to be kept entirely offfrom the working parts of the motor until such drift and other materialhas passed beyond the motor.

The upper and lowervframe pieces b, of the yopposite diverging wheelframes B, are connected by the intermediate guard or fender boards G,onto the outside of which the water is directed by means of the oppositedivider or bow boards .1-1. The` opposite divider or v.bow boards I-I,are secured to the front ends of the frames B, and lead from the bowpiece (Lto such a point that the divided current will pass to thepaddles outside of theguard or fender boards G, and not inside ofY theframe so as to create a back pressure on the wheel devices, thusproviding a construction of frame whereby the water inside is dead, andoffers no appreciable resistance to the paddles as they pass back intotheir active positions outside ofthe frames B.

.Iournaled in suitable boxes I, inside of the opposite frames B, at thefront ends of the guard or fender boards G, are the drive shafts J,which carry the opposite sprocket wheels K. The opposite sprocket wheelsK, on each ofthe shafts J, receive the front ends of the oppositesprocket chains L, the other rear ends of which pass over the iiangedend rollers M.` `The flanged end rollers M, are mounted on theadjustable shafts N, which have their -upper and lower ends journaled inthe movable boxes n. The movable boxes n, are mounted to slide on theinsideof the rear ends of the frame pieces b, and under the guide clipsn', secured to Vsuch frame pieces, and connected to each of the boxesfn, are. the threaded shanks O, passing through perforated end bracketso, at the extreme ends of the frame pieces h, and receiving theadjusting nuts o', which provide means for adjust- ICO ing the shafts N,in order to regulate the te11- sion of the sprocket chains. The saidsprocket chains L, are held steady in their movement, and oft from thetrames B, by means of the intermediate flanged guide rollers I. Theintermediate flanged guide rollersP, are keyed onto the intermediateshafts p, the upper and lower ends of which are journaled in the boxesp', secured in the upper and lower frame pieces l), at an intermediatepoint.

Connecting the opposite sprocket chains L, passing through each of theopposite frames B, ale a series of regularly spaced hinge rods Q, whichreceive the opposite hinge eyes q, of the feathering paddles or bladesR. The feather-ing paddles or blades R, thus pivotally attached to theparallel sprocket chains of each frame, have connected thereto the staychains or ropes S, which are also connected to the sprocket chains, andprovide means for holding the paddles firm in their out` standingpositions and receiving the head ot water, while at the same timeallowing the paddles to fall back onto the chains and feather throughthe dead water inside of the frames. By this construction, it will bereadily seen that when the paddles have been carried around the frontsprocket wheels and reached the position in front of the guard or fenderboards G, the water from the opposite divider boards H, catches suchpaddles and throws the same open, so that they will receive the fullforce of the water until the rear end rollers M, have been reached, andthen the paddles feather back to their inactive positions.

Hinged at their inner endsor pivotally connected at such ends to theupper and lower frames b, of each opposite frame B, are the oppositepairs of U'shaped swinging wire frames T. The opposite swinging U-shapedwire frames T embrace the outer sides of the frames B, and carry theswinging paddleclosing frames U. The swinging paddleclos ing frames U,comprise the parallel connected frame pieces a, which work inside of theextended ends d, of the cross braces D, and are of a lengthcorresponding to and equaling the length of the endless chain paddlewheels, and when free to move away from the paddles, are limited intheir outward movement or swing by means of the stops V, secured to theframe pieces U, and adapted to engage the vertical stop bars fu,connecting the ends d, of the central cross braces. Secured to the frontends of the frames U, are the opposite operating ropes IV, which passthrough the divider boards H, and are connected to a single operatingrope fw, passing through the bow-piece and providing means forsimultaneously operating the oppositepaddle-closing or motor regulatingframes.

It will be readily seen that as the operator draws on the ropes w, theswinging frames U, by reason of their swinging supports are drawn towardthe frames B, so that the outstanding paddles are closed on to thesprocket chains, and are thereby taken out of the current so that themotor necessarily stops, or by holding the frames U, slightly off fromthe sprocket chain, the paddles can be allowed to take a small quantityof water it' so desired. It will also be observed that the oppositetrames U, swing parallel to the frames B, so that all of the outstandingpaddles are simulmtaneously closed or operated upon.

Secured to the upper ends of the shafts J, are the drive pulleys X,which by means of suitable belting Y, can be connected with anymachinery to be driven from the motor.

The motor frame can be either built ou a iloat or laid on the bottom ofa stream, and is held in its proper position, in either event, by ananchoring cable Z, connected to the bow-piece C.

Changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of constructionmay be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificingany of the advantages ot' this invention. f

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In a current motor, a horizontal open V- shaped frame comprisingopposite connected diverging side frames, imperforate guard or fenderboards arranged longitudinally in each of the opposite side frames,opposite `diverging divider or bow boards arranged 011 opposite sides ofthe apex of the frame to lead the water onto said guard or fenderboards, and opposite endless chains moving through the opposite sideframes and having feathering paddles or blades moving in rear of andover the guard or fender boards therein, substantially as set forth.

2. In a current motor, the combination of `a horizontal V-shaped frame,opposite endless chain paddle wheels moving in opposite sides of theframe, horizontal cross-braces having extended ends projecting beyondthe sides of the frame, and parallel guard rails secured to theextremities of said extended ends, substantially as set forth.

3. In a current motor, a V-shaped frame comprising opposite diverging`side frames connected at their front ends by a pointed bow piece, guardor fender boards arranged in each of the opposite side frames, `oppositedivider or bow boards arrangedon opposite sides of the bow piece andleading to said guard or fender boards, upper and lower horizontalcross-braces connecting the side frames and having extended endsprojecting ibeyond the same, parallel side guard rails connected to theextremities of said extended ends, `opposite diverging front guard railsconnected to the bow-piece and the front ends of the side rails, and theopposite diverginglendless chain paddle vwheels substantially as setforth.

4. `In a current motor, opposite diverging open wheel frames, stationaryvertical `d rive shafts journaled inside of each `frame near theirmeeting ends and carrying upper and IIO lower sprocket Wheels,horizontally adjustable bearing boxes arranged at one end of saidframes, vertical roller shafts journaled in said adjustable boxes andcarrying flanged end rollers, parallel sprocket chains passing over saidsprocket wheels and flanged end rollers, being supported in position bythe flanges of the latter, intermediate hanged guide rollers arrangedhorizontally to support and guide said chains, feathering paddles orblades pivotally attached to said sprocket chains and having stay chainsor ropes, and closing devices for said feathering paddles or blades,substantially as set forth.

5. In a current motor, a V-shaped frame, opposite endless chain paddlewheels arranged to Work in opposite sides of said frame and carryingfeathering paddles or blades, swinging paddle closing frames arranged towork outside of the opposite sides of said frame, and means for simultaneously controlling said paddle closing frames, substantially as setforth.

6. In a current motor, opposite horizontal diverging frames, the endlesspaddle chains moving through said frames, feathering paddles or bladesattached to said chains, opposite rectangular swinging paddle closingframes adapted to move parallel with the diverging frames onto and awayfrom the outstanding paddles, and a single operating rope connected tothe front ends of said swinging frames, substantially as set forth.

7. In a current motor, opposite horizontal diverging frames, the endlesspaddle chains moving through said frames, feathering paddles or bladesattached to said chains,oppo site pairs of U-shaped swinging wire framespivotally connected to and embracing the dopposite diverging frames,opposite rectangular swinging-paddle closing frames loosely connected tosaid opposite pairs of U-shaped wire frames and adapted to move parallelwith said opposite diver-ging frames, said paddle closing frames beingprovided with stops upon their outer faces, suitably arranged verticalstop bars adapted to be engaged by said stops, and a single operatingrope connected to the front ends of said paddle closing frames,substantially as set forth. n

In testimony that I claim theforegoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of witnesses.

LEMUEL C. NEAL.

Witnesses:

EUGENE ONEILL, FEED. M. MANNING, H. C. KETTENBACK.

